I heard the news about Ben Bernanke being named TIME’s Person of the Year for 2009 with a fair amount of trepidation. I’ve had nightmares about him, you see. Though not of the psychotic axe-murderer variety, these dreams were upsetting enough that I inwardly flinch every time I hear his name. (I won’t bother you with all of the details, but the dreams have typically involved my being sent to the principal’s office, where Principal Bernanke berates me while waving a checkbook in my face.)

Though admittedly somewhat biased, I’m not the only person who has mixed feelings about Bernanke. Many people believe, as he asserts, that the economy would be in much worse shape without him at the helm of the Fed. To others, his leadership has been the real nightmare.

A link to the full TIME article is below, along with another article that explains some of the thinking behind the final decision.

What do you think about TIME’s choice?